House updates

So with warm weather comes work around outside. I'm pretty comfortable with the way things are on the inside and now ready to move to the out. Although there are a few things I'd like to do in a few rooms, they are fine the way they are for now.

We have been getting water in our basement pretty much since we moved in. A fix the previous owners assured us was taken care of. My dad is a contractor and first told us that he was certain that the large bushes in the corner of our house by the breezeway was likely the issue. He thought that the old roots may be helping water travel to where it's coming in. So taking Dad's advice, we ripped them out, spent $500 and laid a nice brick patio. We love the patio...hate the water that continues to come in. I wanted to update the front doors to something a little more "classy" and dad's next thought was helpful in that aspect. Next it could be that rotted threshold from the breezeway door causing the problem. So, a $1,000 and two interior and screen doors later, we still have water! Ok, so I'm not too frustrated since I got my new doors but now what? Believe me, I don't ever doubt my dad. He is the knower or all but I'm just hoping that the next idea doesn't go up in price from the last one. As you can see, we doubled from the first...I'm not sure we've got $2,000 to invest in the next maybe. But since the water is coming in through the bottom of the stairs in the basement, our thought was to take a few steps out and see what we could find.

The bushes that line the front of my house underneath the bay window along with the tree on the corner are to be taken out soon as well. I'll probably wait to replace the space until next year or maybe even this fall. Just depends how green my thumb appears by then :) The main reason for taking them out is because our next project is painting...the other, I hate them! What a stressful decision. Our last house was easy but this one just scares me. I don't know if it's because it's bigger and has more things to "match" but I'm nervous about my choices. My thought is to go with a dark warm gray for the peak. Mostly to cover the dirt from our lovely oak trees and because Mitch really wants dark. Then a shade lighter for the main part. I think it will work well with our burgundy shutters but I'm still undecided. I also thought it might be nice to stay in the color palette and paint the trim a cream color of the warm gray. I'm planning to take a picture of the house when the last door is put in and do some photoshop work and see how it looks. Our neighbors' houses are playing a large role in what color as well. To the south, avacodo green and the north...although white now, have told me that "paper bag" is the color they are going with. So my reason for staying away from green or tan. We'll see!